2020 EU Budget priorities: a prosperous and secure Europe

“The EPP Group wants a prosperous and secure Europe. With this goal in mind, our priorities for the 2020 EU Budget include support for the EU's competitiveness through research and innovation, as well as clear support for EU companies, especially SMEs”, stated José Manuel Fernandes MEP, the EPP Group’s Spokesman in the European Parliament’s Budgets Committee. "Europe’s competitiveness needs a coherent budget approach. On the human side, we are focusing on strengthening the exchange and training of young people through Erasmus+", said Monika Hohlmeier MEP, the European Parliament’s Spokeswoman on the dossier.

The next EU budget must put special focus on programmes that are conducive to growth, competitiveness and innovation, increasing the funding for Horizon 2020, COSME and investments in digital capabilities. Key EU programmes like the Youth Employment Initiative and Erasmus+ will need to be endowed with additional resources, while sufficient financial resources will need to be secured to address the root causes of migration. The 2020 budget should also significantly contribute to reaching the EU’s climate goals and environmental commitments.

“The EPP Group wishes to increase the EU’s productivity and win the challenge of globalisation. Prosperity implies a cohesive EU from the economic, social and territorial point of view. Environmental sustainability is essential and an obligation to future generations”, Fernandes explained.

Protecting the EU’s external borders and internal security, defence, cybersecurity, the fight against disinformation, as well as the decentralised agencies operating in these fields, are also a priority for the EPP Group. “Security is a condition for the prosperity and protection of European values”, said Monika Hohlmeier.

The European Commission must place these guidelines at the heart of the draft 2020 budget and ensure that they are backed up with the necessary resources so that a strong, responsible and forward-looking 2020 EU Budget can facilitate an agreement and the transition towards the next period.

The 2020 EU Budget should contribute to a long-term vision on the political priorities of the Union.

NOTE TO EDITORS

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 217 Members from 28 Member States